WHY WRITE A FAMILY BUSINESS HISTORY? Phyllis M. Cowan* Paul D. Milne+

Transcription

1 THE FAMILY BUSINESS HISTORY a catalyst to a successful succession plan WHY WRITE A FAMILY BUSINESS HISTORY? Phyllis M. Cowan* Paul D. Milne+ Is a family business history relevant to family members only? We believe the answer to that question depends on why the family business history is written. If the history is produced for use in the succession planning process, it may be instrumental in planning for a successful transition to the next generation. The documented failure of successful transition to future family generations (on average only 4% of family businesses survive to the third generation), means that consultants must search for and use, with owners, better methods and tools in the succession planning process. Family business owners are searching for solutions in a very unpredictable business climate. Often, in the quest for bottom-line performance, costly, trendy interventions such as re-engineering and paradigm shifts are employed while the relatively straightforward cost-effective, family business history is overlooked. The family business history is the obvious rich source of information that potentially could lead to extraordinary insights and business solutions. In his book "A Passion for Excellence", Tom Peters reinforces the importance of business histories: "nothing feels more of what a Company really cares about than its stories and legends...listening to a Company's stories is the surest route to determining its real priorities and what symbolizes them" (page 334).

2 *Phyllis M. Cowan: Author, Teacher and Writer of Family Business Histories. Co-author with Llewellyn S. Smith and Publisher of The House That Jam Built. Writer of business profiles for the Canadian Association of Family Enterprise National Newsletters. +Paul D. Milne: A lawyer/family business consultant with Simpson, Wigle, Hamilton, Ontario - an associate member of the Canadian Association of Family Enterprise and a member of the Family Firm Institute, U.S.A.

3 A family business history is an important document that should be written for many reasons - to reveal to today's generation the values of earlier generations, to inspire, to inform, as a source of pride for the family and employees of the business and most importantly as a diagnostic tool. Although there is very little guidance in the literature, we can analogize the concept to the use of a medical history by physicians. A business history, like a medical history, assesses current status as well as past experiences and places this information within a family context by which symptoms can be interpreted, conditions diagnosed and solutions developed. A family business history will provide information that can lead to insight about the current status of all aspects of the family business including family dynamics. In this paper, we will initially explore some of the important aspects of a family business, the Foster-Creighton Company, to see how its written history influenced the business and the family. We will reveal some of the interesting commentary from the story of that business which illustrates the values of earlier generations, the culture of the Company and the pride of the family in the way successive generations have carried on the family business. In the next section of this paper, we will review the various types of business histories which owners might consider, who should write the family business history and how it is written. In the final section, we will describe how guidelines for writing a business history are developed and we will give examples of typical guidelines before concluding. THE FOSTER-CREIGHTON STORY This is the story of a four-generation family business from

4 to 1973 which was "proudly" written by Wilbur F. Creighton, Jr. at the time "he was honoured to head" the Company. The Foster-Creighton Company is a construction company located in Nashville, Tennessee, a company whose famous product is so ubiquitous, most of us are scarcely aware of it - the invention of Redi-Mix concrete. The book begins with the early family history and chronicles the hardships faced by the founder of the business. It is interesting to read about the forming of the Company in 1885 by two partners who each agreed to invest $ The author's grandfather did not have his share of the initial partnership capital and had no idea where he would get it. The author proudly invites us into the family dining room to discover that the grandfather was married to a "very frugal wife" who had saved her teacher's salary before they were married and "one night at supper, Robert found the money under his dinner plate". What a fine example of conjugal co-operation and family support and obviously a very strong basis on which to start a family business. The success of the partnership led to incorporation in 1907; it is inspiring to note the pride and respect accorded to directors and officers early in the 20th century. That respect was not lost as the Company prospered - an illustration of the early values which were maintained by succeeding generations. There is reference to the first directors being "an excellent team", to having come up the hard way in their respective fields and that under their leadership, the Company experienced tremendous growth. Quite an example for succeeding generations who might wish to sit back and enjoy the family wealth rather than devote their time to managing the family business.

5 5 Another inspirational aspect of the history concerned itself with how the directors dealt with a difference of opinion among themselves. Because the conflict could not be resolved, one director simply offered his stock to the other directors, one of whom acquired it. This genteel way of resolving problems permeates the dealings of directors and executives throughout the history of the Company. The possibility of disunity was a constant concern to the Company and later in the history, this is illustrated in the Company's motto: "we fight against all dissentions". Again, in a reference to a co-venture business relationship, the author states that "in order to avoid any possible disunity, the leaders of both Companies mutually agreed that they would not offer a job to any of the other's key men, after completion of the job". Business practices are illustrated in the contractual dealings of the Company over the years which culminated in the last sentence in the book: "Foster and Creighton is proud of the fact that throughout its long history, every contract has been completed without a single loss to any surety". Can you imagine the pressure on family members employed in the business to ensure that this proud string of completed contracts continued. This knowledge would be helpful not only to family but to non-family senior executives and consultants to the business as they would more easily recognize why, for example, family employed in the business might be reticent to back out of a bad business deal. The inventive side of the Company is illustrated in the section of the history devoted to the development of "ready-mixed concrete" and the building of the first Redi-Mix concrete plant in the south. This gave the Company a competitive advantage over all

6 6 of the contractors in Nashville with the result that the Company "received most of the jobs awarded in Nashville during the 1930s". There are two other aspects of the history that are particularly intriguing. One is how the Company used business techniques and relationships, learned in the course of construction work carried out for the United States government during the second World War, to obtain substantial government construction work during the Korean War. The value of maintenance of business relationships and future planning (to obtain private sector contracts after the war) is a constant theme throughout the history. The second noteworthy aspect of the business history is the effort made to chronicle the relationship with the Company's banker and its consultants. It is interesting to note the president of the Company's bank was informed of the value of projects completed during the Company's fiscal year whereupon it was reported that the president of the bank: "had no interest in the amount of business done; all that mattered to him was the amount of Company capital and surplus at the end of the year. His words made a profound impression on the Officers of the Company and since that date, the Company has been able to improve its financial position each year:" We believe that The Foster-Creighton Story illustrates that a business history is extremely useful in the succession planning process. As well as being a diagnostic tool, it is also an assessment tool for the identification of critical success factors for the family business. For example, as a business history

7 7 unfolds it can help family members and consultants determine important core values, leadership and management styles, conflict resolution, decision-making processes and external relationships such as those with customers, professional advisors and business relationships. This can act as a template with which future generations can test current practice and decisions for the future in these domains. If, in fact, writing a business history is worthwhile and is a useful tool in the succession planning process, the challenge rests with the consultant to convince the owners of the family business that writing a business history is an invaluable exercise regardless of the cost. RE-LIVING AND WRITING THE LEGEND If you are a consultant to family owned businesses, you have challenging clients. The nature of their business brings an incredible amount of baggage that you must understand and carry to be able to give them the best advice possible. One of the ways you can hope to achieve this is by convincing the owners of the family business of the importance of writing their family/business history. A particularly pertinent time to start such a project presents itself at the succession planning stage of a company's evolution. It is a time of reminiscence, but also of looking forward. What better way to understand a business than to properly research and document the history of both the family and the business. One of the first steps is to sit down with the owner and

8 8 explore just how best his or her interests can be served by this exercise. For some, a few thoughtful pages written just by the owner will solidify what it is he or she wants to achieve. Especially if it is a small, young company with a short history, it may be sufficient to merely state the reasons for being in the particular business, how the business got to its current position, who the peripheral people are and how they are involved and where the owner hopes the company will be in a number of years. However, writing a history of a larger, or older, or more involved enterprise is probably a much bigger job. If the owner is a writer and has the time, he or she might well like to research it and write it, but chances are this will not happen. Sometimes this is reason enough not to do it at all. In such cases, the consultant must take over. WHO WILL WRITE THE HISTORY? The consultant should ask if any member of the family is interested in the project and should be prepared to explain what is involved in the research, interviewing, writing and publishing of the story. An interested employee could do the job as well. If no "in house" person is appropriate or available, it is the consultant's job to find someone who can write it. Perhaps the consulting firm has people on staff who could handle it. Failing that, the consultant could suggest a local librarian or historian. Alternatively, one might propose a professional writer who specializes in family business histories or who knows something about the particular business. A professional writer should be skilled in making an interviewee feel comfortable and encouraging him or her to be

9 9 candid and to give a complete picture of his or her place in the organization, the reason for being there, how he or she feels about it and views as to what should and will happen in the future. A discrete, non-judgmental but observant and skilful writer will know how to respect confidentiality, create a trusting relationship and deal with delicate situations. OFF THE RECORD The issues of anonymity and confidentiality are huge and in many cases represent the largest stumbling blocks to obtaining a family history. The importance of this information cannot be underestimated. How can you properly advise a client if you are not made aware of the hidden agendas, the secret love/hate relationships, the unspoken hostilities, rivalries, and fears? One answer might be as simple as recording (printing, typing, writing) this information on different coloured paper and explaining that the integrity of these pages will be strictly guarded. As a consultant, you need to know the deepest, most hurtful "wounds" of the family and of the company in order to apply the proper "dressing." This is the type of information that you will never see in a financial report, although the "bottom line" might be very affected by it and vulnerable to it. DEPTH OF HISTORY After the decision has been made who is going to write the business history, there are many questions to be answered. How extensive should it be? How big a circle of information does the owner want included? Is it the story of the immediate family today or does it go back into the past? If so, how far? To what

10 10 extent are employees expected to give their input? What about customers? Is it a purely factual piece or is there room for people's opinions? How long will it be? In the process of answering these questions, the original concept might change many times. In the case of Llewellyn Smith, of the E.D. Smith company, he started out with the intent of documenting his family's history for his children. When he realized the wealth of information and the powerful stories his ancestors had to tell, he became intrigued with them and wanted to know more about them. Above all, he wanted to understand their visions. The original thought of a 20-page pamphlet turned into a 270 page book called The House That Jam Built. He chose an independent, professional writer who knew something about family businesses because he knew it was too big a job for him alone. Mr. Smith came away with the information from the family's and company's archives consolidated in one place in the form of a book he could pass on to his children, his employees and his customers. Mr. Smith was astounded at the extent to which situations existing when the book was written paralleled those of years ago. The similarities between himself and his great-grandfather, E.D. Smith, gave him a feeling of reliving some of the same problems but with a mentor, an adviser from his past to help give him direction for the future. Above all, it put him in the right mind set to work on and complete his succession plans, confident that he had a good understanding of the direction of the company. INTERVIEWING TECHNIQUES In most cases, it is imperative to have the approval of the

11 11 owner before approaching any individual to ask for an interview. It is helpful to have the owner write a "to whom it may concern" letter, giving the writer permission to interview those specified in the letter. The owner will decide if it is a "carte blanche" situation or the owner may limit the number of interviews by stipulating the names or positions of those to be questioned. In any case, before starting an interview, the letter should be shown to, and perhaps signed by, the interviewee to keep it all above board. Interviews can take place on a one-to-one basis, in person or by phone, with or without a tape recorder or video camera. Use what is most efficient and comfortable for both the writer and the interviewee. Many older people become nervous or suspicious when they see a tape recorder and even more so with a camera. Be sure to take very careful notes and ask if the interviewee would like to see the transcripts of the interview to check for accuracy and give general approval. If the interview is recorded over the phone, the first thing the interviewer should state is that the conversation is being recorded and obtain the taped approval of the fact. Joint interviews with two or more persons not only give information but also impart an attitude pertinent to the group. An assembly of retired old-timers reminiscing about their days at the plant, for instance, provides wonderful insight into the way things used to be and acts as a bridge to the way things are today. Properly documented, such an interview can be invaluable as a means of recording colourful stories, significant events and vivid impressions. In a group interview, the dynamics of the individuals come across, as does the energy of the group in the manner in which the group relates to the company and the family.

12 12 Rather than be interviewed, some people would prefer to write out what they want known and submit it as their information. This is a good source not to be overlooked. PERTINENT HARD FACTS The writer should be acquainted with local and world history as it relates to the company. What is the economic condition of the company relative to the rest of the world? A simple timeline is a good way of placing the family and business in their proper historical context. Some of this is learned through interviews and some through research. The physical data of the company should be included. How many employees, how many square feet of space, how much revenue generated annually, percentage increase or decrease in sales; in other words, all the numbers the owner is prepared to make public. This can be a sensitive issue. Some companies are very private about some facts and figures and this privacy must be respected, although one hopes not to the detriment of the understanding of the history. MORE THAN JUST TEXT Encourage all to assemble letters, photographs, newspaper clippings, trophies, plaques and anything else that will paint a picture of the beginnings and the development of both the family and the business. Perhaps this is the time to create the company archives, if it has not already been started. WRITER AS INTERPRETER

13 13 Armed with all this information, the writer can then use it to "illuminate the power relations that define the family business systems" (Marion McCollom, "Organizational Stories in a Family- Owned Business, p. 6) This is a complex association, as noted by Marion McCollom: The concerns reflected by story morals give some insight into the differences between the worlds of family members and employees...family stories appeared to reflect the concerns of their narrators as owners of the business--securing property, taking risks, and managing difficult employees. Employees expressed frustration with management practices, customers, and coworkers but also described a world in which connections with colleagues and family members in the business were strong. Thus, the stories of the two groups, perhaps predictable, reflected their different roles in the family business system. (p. 16) MORE THAN JUST STORIES Nowadays, not many family members sit around the campfire to listen to grandma telling stories about "the good ol' days," "the way things used to be." But they should. How else would the grandchildren of Fred Tregunno, who owned the Halifax Seed Company since the mid 1920s, ever have learned how he solved his problem of how to distribute his seed packets, unless the story was passed down. His answer was to ask the local

14 14 milk delivery drivers to deliver the seeds for him in exchange for a free beer. Why is this important? To the family, as well as to the consultant, it reaffirms that the company did not achieve its current status by chance. Perhaps this piece of information would inspire a reminiscent type advertising campaign and perhaps it would give a struggling adviser an innovative suggestion for today's distribution. It might also suggest to the accounting consultant ways of saving money. We believe strongly that by learning from the families' history, consultants are in a better position to understand what makes the company "tick" and how best to use this information to plan the future. Tom Peters gives good advice when he says: Care about the stories you hear and treat them as the crucial company heartbeats they are. In fact, the drift of stories over time is arguably the single best measure of corporate vitality. (Tom Peters, A Passion For Excellence, p 280) What story could prove this better than the following: In 1972, Ernest Llewellyn Gibson Smith (president of E.D. Smith at the time) threw out the time clocks. He had seen men lining up at them and said, "I decided I didn't like the idea. It seemed a degrading custom. If I can't trust my people, I don't want to be in business." (The House That Jam Built, p. 189)

15 15 THE PITFALLS OF AN ORGANIZATION'S SHORT MEMORY In a perfect world, the consultant would be all-knowing and all-seeing. Every discussion heard would be padded with total understanding of every issue pertaining to the conversation and he or she could advise from a pedestal of total knowledge. This is not the case in the real world. There are many reasons why the past gets lost in the shuffle of time. In this information age, it is all too easy to feel overwhelmed with material to read and learn! Basically, we are too busy to assimilate any more knowledge. But, We need ways of sorting through the infinite minutiae out there, and we start with heuristics--associations, analogues, metaphors, and ways that have worked for us before. (Tom Peters, In Search of Excellence, p 63) Mr. Peters also states: Important strategic business assumptions (e.g. a control versus a risk-taking bias) are buried deep...whose origins have long been obscured by time. (In Search of Excellence, p. 6). Information is conveniently lost or forgotten by those who have a skeleton in the closet. Although it is true some stories need never come to light, others might definitely influence future

16 16 generations if an understanding was known as to why things happened the way they did. For example, a very successful machinery agency company in Toronto, Canada experienced several very serious, strange financial setbacks. It was not until the son took over the agency that he learned the well-liked accountant had been an alcoholic and made some terrible mistakes. He had been quietly let go and no one had said a thing. The family business suffered in its attempt to help the accountant to avoid disgrace. That is how the owner chose to deal with the situation. Any consultant to this business should know that story. Why? Because one company's approach for dealing with a situation can be very different from that of another company and it is this difference that defines the "soul" of the company. It makes one organization different from another. Another reason information and history are not passed on is simply because a company may have grown so fast that no-one has been around long enough to know the whole story. It can lead to the need for every decision to be re-invented every time. Stephen Michael Peter Thomas, in his book The Book That's Sweeping America says: This tendency to want to forget can severely hinder a company's ability to grow, change and learn. (p ) THE ULTIMATE COMMUNICATION What better service could you offer your client than that of improving his or her communication with co-workers, family, and customers. Solidifying the family business history in writing does just that.

17 17 GUIDELINES FOR WRITING A FAMILY BUSINESS HISTORY AND CONCLUSION Writing the family business history will help solve the problem of how to introduce the topic of succession that some owners/founders do not know how to handle. Just discussing the family history will force the issue of succession. When the owner says, "I'll wait until the kids are ready and come to me to talk about it," chances are the kids are "waiting for dad to bring up the subject." It has been said by some owners that discussing succession is like planning one's own funeral. However, if the process starts with the writing of a business and family history, it seems more like a beginning. Winston Churchill proved it when he said, "The further backward you look, the further forward you can see." There is no doubt in the value of such an exercise, especially if it is the catalyst that starts the succession planning process. We believe the development and implementation of a succession plan for a family business is a process which may be a work-inprogress that continues for many years. By commencing the process with the writing of a family business history, the owner will more likely accept the fact that a succession plan is not a one-time job to be completed by a consultant in isolation. Discussions surrounding the history of a family business and the writing of a business history should illustrate to the owner that a succession plan involves teamwork among family members and varied consultants retained to provide counsel in the process of developing the succession plan. It should also reinforce among family members that their family business succession plan will be unique to them just as their family business system is unique. One of the goals of writing a family business history, no matter how short or how

18 18 long it may be, is to excite the owners and family and ensure they will buy into the process of succession planning. We referred earlier in this paper to a family business history acting as a template for future generations to test current practice and decisions for the future. We believe it is also a template for the succession planning process and, accordingly, guidelines should be developed before the writing of the business history commences. This means the consultant should have input into the creation of the guidelines after discussion with the owners. Generally speaking, the guidelines should reflect the family business system, the nature of the business and the goals the owners hope to achieve in the succession planning process. For example, if several children and perhaps other relatives are employed in the family business and one of the goals of the succession planning process is to determine an "heir apparent", guidelines for writing the business history should include the eliciting of information on how family members were brought into the business in the past, how their careers were managed and how choices in business leadership and ownership succession were made. The guidelines for writing a business history can be divided into two broad categories: firstly, the history of the business from inception to the present and secondly, a profile of the family business as it presently exists. The history from inception to the present could include a description of past products, from initial products to new products and divestment of products. It could also include reference to past resources such as research, special equipment and business locations and to important human resources such as family involvement, key employees, consultants and advisers and important business relationships. Other areas of consideration

19 19 could be past business tools. These would incorporate changes in the company's mission, linkages and networking relationships and competitive posture. Significant business changes over the years are important to an understanding of the changing culture of the family business. These would include strategic alignments, sales of assets, divisions and product lines, business expansion and acquisitions and mergers. Finally, the financial history of the business will provide an understanding of the sources of private and institutional capital and the efforts made by the business and family owners to raise capital. The present business profile could include a current description of many of the categories described above. However, we believe the description of present human resources should include detailed information about non-family key employees, consultants, directors and advisers. Also, more effort should be devoted to describing family participation in the business, internal and external family conflicts and family business policies, such as career counselling, annual reviews and promotions and demotions. This could reveal how differences among family members are resolved, how important family decisions are made and whether spousal relationships are supportive and harmonious. Present ownership is also a key component of the present business profile. This category would include trust agreements, buy-sell arrangements and related business and shareholder interests and concerns. We believe these are just some of the areas which a business history could include. They highlight our thesis that if the family business history is to be a useful tool in the succession planning process, the guidelines for writing the history must be established after discussion with the owners. This will ensure

20 20 the history is relevant and will provide information necessary for a productive, relevant planning process. Better historical information and better succession planning should substantially contribute to enhanced prospects for a successful transition of the family business to future generations. Editor's Note: The next part of the "Estates and Trusts Journal" will continue our series on succession planning with an article on valuing the family business for succession planning purposes. The authors will focus on the dilemma of choosing between maximizing value realized through a third party sale and maintaining the continuity of family ownership through an internal sale or transfer. Other issues covered will include the developmental stage of a business and its markets (i.e. developing vs. mature vs. declining) and how they affect value.

An Interview with Berlin School President Michael Conrad for Media Marketing Magazine Author: Lea Stanković, Berlin School EMBA Participant, Class 10 I met Michael Conrad for the first time in Berlin in

Your Professional Reputation 1 There is no way to put a price on your professional reputation, its value to you is priceless Copyright Per Frykman Inc 2012 We want to challenge the traditional and safe,

Leading Positive Performance: A Conversation about Appreciative Leadership Diana Whitney, Phd, Amanda Trosten-Bloom and Kae Rader This is a preprint of an article published in Performance Improvement journal,

Written Testimony of Sonia Ellis Submitted to the Special Committee on Aging United States Senate Hearing on the Jamaican Lottery Scam March 13, 2013 I would like to thank Chairman Nelson, Ranking member

Pastor Spotlight Martha Fisher, CBC Women s Pastor Inspiration Martha Fisher, Women s Pastor at Community Bible Church, leads with a passion to reach, teach and help the women of our community for Jesus.

Learning to Delegate Overview Tips for managers on how to delegate Why is delegation necessary? Why do many managers have a hard time delegating? What to delegate What not to delegate How to delegate Give

U N I V E R S I T Y C A R E E R S E R V I C E S PREPARING FOR THE INTERVIEW THE INTERVIEW The interview is an opportunity to demonstrate to an employer why you are the best fit for the position. Essentially,

Why Your Job Search Isn t Working 6 mistakes you re probably making and how to fix them I t s easy to think that your lack of success in finding a new job has nothing to do with you. After all, this is

Back to School: Working with Teachers and Schools Starting school each fall is a challenge for the student and parents. The following article offers some valuable suggestions as your child starts a new

Many financially successful, high net worth individuals engage an advisor to help answer important questions around protecting and transferring their wealth to their children and future generations. They

Dialog: VIP LESSON 049 - Future of Business A: We really embarrassed ourselves last night at that business function. B: What are you talking about? A: We didn't even have business cards to hand out. We

The ins and outs of successful leadership Helping you to be a more effective leader What does your team expect from their leader? Someone who high-fives everyone from the post boy to the CEO on his way

Discover the difference with a Registered Investment Advisor. A different kind of relationship. Independent registered investment advisors provide a variety of services to their clients. This is a series

Retaining Teachers: The Principal as Motivating Factor Lawrence Allen Jr. People have asked me why, in my inner-city school of twelve hundred children 80 percent of them impoverished deemed in many eyes

The Common Denominator of Success by Albert E.N. Gray The common denominator of success --- the secret of success of every man who has ever been successful --- lies in the fact that he formed the habit

INTERVIEWING QUESTIONS THE EMPLOYERS INTERVIEW PERSPECTIVE Interviewers want to determine if you are a fast learner, a good problem-solver, and a versatile, goal-directed person, whether you will fit the

Life Insurance made easy INTRODUCTION Your Health is your Wealth - I genuinely believe that to be true. I work in the A&E Department of a large hospital and every day I see the challenges people face in

Unit Q107 Make and receive telephone calls What you will learn Understand how to make telephone calls Understand how to receive and transfer telephone calls Be able to make telephone calls Be able to receive

Mortgage Guide and Helpful Tips Dear Prospective Home Owner, Let me tell you that home ownership is one of the key ingredients to building wealth. Take any 100 people at the start of their working careers

Interview Information From ediscover Career Planning Program How do I prepare for an interview? The job interview is an opportunity to convince an employer that you have the skills and qualities needed

The TrainingFolks Approach The importance of superior management, leadership and interpersonal skills are critical to both individual and organizational success. It is also critical to apply these skills

Page 1 of 13 Sales Aptitude Assessment Questions The following questions are to determine what type of sales person you are and where you fit in our sales organization. We want to make the right decision

What Lawyers Don t Tell You The Realities of Record Keeping Welcome to the Power of Attorney Podcast which is part of our Conversations that Matter Podcasts. My name is Mary Bart, Chair of Caregiving Matters.

Coaches Coach, Players Play, and Companies Win Patrick C. Caironi Pennsylvania State University Executive coaching has been a part of business consulting for some time now, and according to London (2002),

University of St. Thomas Career Development Center Streaming Audio 4 Sections Interviewing Script Preparing for Interviews Hello, my name is Jessica and I work in Human Resources for Target Corporation.

1. What did you like about this program? I loved most of the teachers. One was not that great but I was informed she will not be back so that is good for the new students. I liked how the assignments helped

Performance Evaluation Discussion Points for University Support Staff August 20, 2013 Performance Evaluations method to assess job performance. A PSU system would include the following: 1. University Support

What people who attend Linton Sellen s Leadership Training have to say: Excellent course, couldn t have been better. Training content and knowledge and delivery are exceptional. I've been to many management

1 Google Lead Generation For Attorneys Leverage The Power Of AdWords To Grow Your Law Business FAST You re about to discover the secrets of fast legal practice success with Google AdWords. Google AdWords

15 Most Typically Used Interview Questions and Answers According to the reports made in thousands of job interviews, done at ninety seven big companies in the United States, we selected the 15 most commonly

Three Attributes of Every Successful Merchant Services Program-20140604 1602-1 [Start of recorded material] [Starts Mid Sentence] thank everyone that s joined the call today. I know everybody is busy with

Federated Insurance s Training program Offers An Opportunity not just a diploma Why Insurance You worked hard to earn your college degree. But, now that your diploma is in hand, what is your plan for the

The 3 Most Important Things to Consider When Choosing to Study Online Your guide to choosing a study mode, a course and a college that is right for you. By Dr. Isabelle Cunningham Online study is a wonderful

FAMILY PROTECTION MADE EASY A guide to life assurance INTRODUCTION Your Health is your Wealth - I genuinely believe that to be true. I work in the A&E Department of a large hospital and every day I see

Email Marketing 101 Good Fast or Low cost marketing We ve all heard the old adage about how, when it comes to marketing, you can get what you need done well, delivered quickly or produced inexpensively;

Purpose: To focus on three styles of leadership, the importance of developing a flexible style and to help you understand your natural leadership style. Learning Objectives: 1. To understand three styles

LOVE AND PASSION- THE ULTIMATE RELATIONSHIP PROGRAM COMPANION WORKBOOK No matter how much we love our children, no matter how close we are to our Creator, no matter how important our work is, ultimately,

Financial Freedom: Three Steps to Creating and Enjoying the Wealth You Deserve What does financial freedom mean to you? Does it mean freedom from having to work, yet still being able to enjoy life without

BİLET 2. Aşama Örnek Sınav READING SECTION Siblings Relationships: A Brief Analysis 1 During childhood, sisters and brothers are a major part of each other s lives for better or for worse. As adults they

Onboarding Program Supervisor s Guide Supervisor s Guide Introduction This guide has been developed for supervisors to support an effective and successful onboarding process for new employees. As a supervisor,

www.simonejoyaux.com spjoyaux@aol.com First published as How to Select and Use a Fund Development Consultant, Nonprofit Quarterly, Fall 2005. wwwnonprofitquarterly.org Tips for using fund development consultants

A Learning Paths Whitepaper Rapid Onboarding 3 Keys to Success The Importance of Rapid Onboarding How soon would you be confident assigning a new employee to work with your most valued customer? When do

These Two Words Just Made Us 37% In 3 Months "These Two Words Just Made Us 37% In 3 Months" Using these "two words" in your 401k, IRA or any other investment account can make you very wealthy... What are

Canada Speaks 2012 Mental Health, Addictions and the Roots of Poverty overview For the second year in a row, The Salvation Army, in conjunction with Angus Reid Public Opinion, has conducted polling research

Sales Aptitude report for: Sally Sample Date taken: Thursday, December 20, 2012 11:42 PM For more information or help reading this report call: 555-234-5678 This report is a tool for the interview process

IMPROVING QUALITY Quality criteria for global education school visits Organisations that have worked on these quality criteria: Pro Ethical Trade Finland Kepa Service Centre for Development Cooperation

HOW TO RESPOND TO INTERVIEW QUESTIONS Interviewers typically use a variety of question techniques to determine if you re the person they want to hire. First, they ll choose questions designed to get specific

JOB SEARCH TOOL Information Sheet: Common Interview Questions The key to a successful interview is in being prepared. It means knowing as much as possible about the job and the employer. Below are a few

C-12 INFORMATION SHEET SAMPLE INTERVIEW QUESTIONS TEACHER S MASTER QUESTIONS ABOUT YOU Tell Me a Little about Yourself. The interviewers want to know if you are well adjusted, work well with others, have

The Alternative Solution: Counseling Key Employees to Success Susan Silvano : CMI As a manager of people, you are likely to work with a variety of people with different talents, communication styles and

Six Steps for Building a Thriving Success-Story Program A Guide for Communicating How Your Business Helps Customers By Jeff Pike, Business Writing Services The Importance and the Challenge of Writing Customer

You and Your Accomplishments 1. Tell me a little about yourself. 50 Tough Interview Questions Because this is often the opening question, be careful that you don t run off at the mouth. Keep your answer

My Life Portfolio A Planning Guide and Practical Workbook for those interested in developing life goals and achieving their dreams. Written by Gail Thornton Ontario Federation for Cerebral Palsy Text Only

Quick tips to answer the Personal Interview questions! As you go for a personal interview, always expect the question "Tell us something about yourself". Go prepared to answer it.! Understand the requirements

Philosophy Online class observations are meant to facilitate an instructor s professional growth. They will be used to create an opportunity for reflection and stimulate ideas for improvement in the online

ANGEL INVESTORS: STRUCTURING DEALS THAT WORK Phil Thompson Business Lawyer, Corporate Counsel www.thompsonlaw.ca Canadian small business people are turning to private investors more than ever. However,

The Importance Of Being Onboarded Peter Finn Getting Started The first month I had no idea what I really was supposed to be doing My boss was constantly out of the office, so I just sat at my desk. ---

An oral history interview with Janet Perna, member of the WITI Hall of Fame, conducted on.july 29th, 2003, by IBM Corporate Archivist Paul Lasewicz. LASEWICZ: Thank you for agreeing to sit down with us.

1 of 9 2016 Construction Business Boot Camps Construction s Emerging Executives need to have a wider and deeper understanding of the organization as they progress to higher levels of management. Most of

22. Planning for the Owner of a Closely-Held Business If you own a business, or part of one, nobody has to tell you what a struggle it was to get it started and how much work it takes to keep it going.

Credit Repair Kit Easy To Read - Easy To Use Step-By-Step Method How To Clean Your Credit In 60 Days... Or Less! This Guidebook Will Show You How You Can Have Perfect Credit With Very Little Effort FREE

CONDUCTING MARKET RESEARCH The importance of good research Once you have determined your target market, you now have to obtain as much information as you can about them through research. Your advertising

Research: What CEOs Really Want from Coaching by Gretchen Gavett, associate editor at the Harvard Business Review. August,2013 Two-thirds of CEOs don't receive any outside advice on their leadership skills,

The following rating descriptions are examples of the behaviors employees would be demonstrating at each of the four levels of performance. These examples should assist the supervisor and employee during

Employee New Hire Training: A Tale of Two Employees Beverly Tester, Director of Instructional Design When I think of all the employee new hire training I ve experienced in my career, a famous quote comes

Counseling Center Informational Interviewing INFORMATION INTERVIEWING WHAT IS AN INFORMATIONAL INTERVIEW? An informational interview is a conversation between a person (like you) who is interested in a

THE STATESMAN Volume 8 Issue 12 December 2005 Happy Holidays! From George Wythe College On Campus Seminars: Dec 16-17 Mar 4-5 Mar 7-8 May 2-27 May 30-31 July 15-16 Roots of America How to Read a Book A

The Psychic Salesperson Speakers Edition Report: The Three Parts of the Sales Process by Dave Dee Limits of Liability & Disclaimer of Warranty The author and publisher of this book and the associated materials

Business Ethical Dilemma One I was an IT Director at a publicly-held company and was responsible for the IT portion of a Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX) compliance initiative. My direct supervisor was the CTO, but

cook 165 The Innovation of Diversity John Jeff R. Cook, Jr., Founder and former President, The Environmental Careers Organization summary While there are many reasons for diversity work, there is a strong

FRIENDS OF TRINITY CHRISTIAN SCHOOL JANUARY 2015 friends@trinityschool.org.uk SCHOOLED AT TRINITY NOW LIVING IT OUT FULL-TIME! In the Friends of Trinity newsletter, we pride ourselves on being concise.

Prospecting in the Business Planning Market LIFE-5663-Prospecting 02/16 For agent use only. This material may not be used with the public. WHAT IS PROSPECTING? In simplest terms, prospecting is all about

Simple Guide to Life Insurance for Parents INTRODUCTION Your Health is your Wealth - I genuinely believe that to be true. I work in the A&E Department of a large hospital and every day I see the challenges